One of the most heartening developments in climate change mitigation in recent years has been the increasing attention paid to the principle of 'thinking globally and acting locally'. The failure of the international community to reach significant global agreements on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has led local governments, environmental organisations and citizens themselves to focus increasingly on the local possibilities for action on climate change.

This book analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the co-production of climate policies that take place where citizen engagement and local initiatives converge with public agencies. Case studies from Northern Europe, Australia/New Zealand and the USA reveal that traditional individualist approaches to promoting environmental behaviour epitomised by information campaigns and economic incentives cannot trigger the deep behavioural changes required to materially improve our response to climate change. Only by marshalling the forces of thousands, and eventually millions of citizens, can we manage to reach environmental sceptics, reinforce political action and create the new social norms that are sorely needed in our local, and global, response to climate change.

This book will be of great relevance to scholars and policy makers with an interest in climate change politics and governance, community engagement and sustainable development.

About the Author
Jens Hoff is Professor in National and International Governance and Public Policy at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen. Quentin Gausset is a Lecturer at the Institute of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen.

Reviews

"Full of new insights into the potential of citizens and their communities, this book provides a fresh perspective on how we can move beyond the promise of technological fixes or individual behaviour change to address new forms of governing climate change that place forms of active citizenship and collaboration at their heart. The book makes a convincing case for the need for policy makers to engage with new approaches to engaging citizens in responding to climate change across multiple scales." - Harriet Bulkeley, Durham University, UK

"A paradox of climate change is that this most global of problems is simultaneously profoundly local in its causes, impacts, and solutions. Hoff and Gausset have assembled a wonderful collection that explores the multiple and diverse ways that local communities from around the world are grappling with climate change and the transformations needed to respond to it. This book is not only cutting edge scholarship, it is also provides a crucial window into the practices, challenges, and practical politics of local responses necessary for solving this global problem." - Matthew Hoffmann, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Book Information
ISBN 9781138091344
Author Jens Hoff
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g